Betrayal
by LaFlorDelMar
Summary: AlucardxSeras. Takes place after the "-Or" trilogy. After a strange series of events, Seras must reevaluate the trust she has placed in her Master. First multi-chapter Hellsing fic! Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, only the story.
1. Chapter 1

_This story takes place after the "-Or" trilogy. Le sigh. I just couldn't keep away. As per usual, reviews and constructive criticism are welcome, flames are not._

Her stomach seemed to almost growl as she crouched behind one of the outer stones making up Stonehenge, about three kilometers from Amesbury. How many days had it been since she had last fed? She closed her eyes as she thought. Two, maybe three. She knew that she was too weak to put up a good fight if she was captured.

What had gone wrong with the mission?

She had been sent out to raid a previously abandoned water pumping station in Ryhope, the site for the mass production of...how had they been described in the briefing? Zombies. Reports had been cropping up all over England about a strange plague of cannibalism infecting residents. As it turned out, top heads in the British Armed Forces had commissioned a private research company to perform biological experiments to work on a vaccination that would increase mental awareness and physical strength so that they could get more efficient use from their employees.

Obviously the people that had decided this would be a good idea had never watched any horror movies. _28 Days Later _would have been beneficial for them to see before making what could only be labeled as a stupid decision.

The researchers had tested their synthetic virus on animals first with no adverse reactions noticed. After their initial success they put ads out in newspapers for volunteers willing to participate in a weight loss study. The aftermath had been chaos.

The raid had been successful; the factory had been destroyed along with the virus and lab creatures. Only two of the scientists responsible had survived and had been taken into custody. By now they were awaiting trial in Wandsworth, a division of HM Prison located in southwest London.

The question remained: what had gone wrong?

Technically, nothing.

What alarmed her was that the water station in Ryhope was located almost five hundred and twelve kilometers from Stonehenge and she had no memory of how she came to be here. Her weapon was missing, as were her badges and cell phone. She had no money, no car, and no idea what the hell she was doing so far from Ryhope, or London, for that matter.

She heard two cars pull up on the other side of Stonehenge, followed by loud teenage voices and footsteps. Seemed as though some kids were planning on having a bonfire out here. As the group walked from their car down the path to the center of the prehistoric monument she detected the faint pulsing rhythm of their heartbeats.

Her fangs extended, a natural reaction to being so close to prey. She stood, mapping out the best way to attack. By her count there were five humans. They were most likely sitting in a circle, so two of them would be closer to the path than the others. Those would be the ones to go after first; her presence would dissuade the others from making a run for the path. She nodded her head and began toward her intended targets.

Teasing and laughter rang through the ruins and she stopped mid-step. Her expression was one of horror as she realized what she was about to do. Muffling a sob, she ran away from Stonehenge and the teenagers as fast as she was able. When she was well away from civilization she stopped and leaned against a lone tree.

Her tears came then, quick and relentless. What was the matter with her? She was exhausted, lost and starving, but that was no excuse to murder innocent people. Her fangs retracted and she slumped to the ground.

Xoxoxo

Several hours before dawn found her standing on the road leading to Amesbury, undecided on what to do next. She knew that she had to find some way to get back to London. Teleportation was out of the question. She could travel about ten miles and end up in the exact location she was aiming for. Attempting anything farther than that was asking for trouble.

She frowned. There was a train station about eight miles away in Salisbury. The trains passed through London at the Waterloo Station. Sneaking aboard wouldn't be too difficult and it was not as bad as stealing a car. She nodded once and headed for Salisbury Road.

A tired group of travelers were gathered at the train platform and she casually walked up and bumped into someone. She apologized and asked if this train was headed for London as workers went about preparing the first train of the day. An onlooker would have assumed she was a part of the group.

Boarding the train unnoticed was easy enough. She made sure no one was paying attention to her before leaning against the train and pushing through the outer shell into an empty compartment. She sat on the bench and leaned her head against the window. The sun would not make an appearance for another two hours, but the dark sky was already beginning to fade to a dull gray. As long as it remained overcast she would be fine.

Her eyes closed against her will, but she didn't possess the energy necessary to keep them open. She had never felt such a ravenous hunger. The pressing need to eat scared her. If a human decided to sit with her on the ride home she wasn't positive that she would be able to keep from killing.

If only her Master were here. He would have some tidbit of advice for her.

Her eyes shot open. If her heart had still been necessary, her pulse would have been racing. _Where was her Master?_

He must have realized that she was missing by now, unless he was still deployed on his mission. It was possible, but unlikely. Unless he was given an interesting project, he executed his commands with professional expediency.

Even if that were the case, he should have felt her distress. She had worked hard to strengthen and maintain her mental shields to the point where she upheld them with no conscious effort on her part, the way one's body regulates breathing and heart rate without any thought. Her established link with her Master, however, was kept open except when she wanted her privacy.

She bit her lip, vexed. Why hadn't he tried to contact her telepathically? For that matter, why hadn't _she_ tried to communicate with him? She shook her head. This should have been her first order of business. She concentrated, feeling out for him. She sent out cautious tendrils of her essence, calling out to him, but after a moment she gave up.

It was as though there was a void where his own essence ought to be. She wasn't quite sure how their telepathy worked, but to her it was a sensation unlike any other when they connected. It was as though his mind reached out and gently caressed hers. Now there was nothing.

She had not felt so alone for a long time.


	2. Chapter 2

She awoke thirty seconds before the ticket master opened the door to her compartment, giving her enough time to fade into the background. While all vampires had the same basic skills across the board, they also had a knack that was unique to each individual. Hers happened to be the ability to draw attention away from herself, become veritably invisible. It came in handy.

Once the ticket master was satisfied that there was no one inside, she relaxed and stretched. That was when she noticed the diary on the luggage rack above her head. She stood and retrieved it. As luck would have it a pencil was tucked between the pages. She studied the cover of the diary for several seconds. It was a plain white book covered in stickers that glittered. Some little girl must have left it behind. She chewed on her lip as she debated if she should break open the lock or not. When she drew blood her mind was made up.

She pulled the lock apart with ease and flipped through the entries with disinterest until she found a blank page. Tapping the pencil against her mouth, she reflected on what she knew. After a moment she began to write.

_The Hellsing organization accepted the responsibility of cleaning up after the British Armed Forces._

_Sir Integra had assigned me the position of mission leader._

_Master was assigned to a different project._

_I cannot communicate with him on any level. _

_The last thing I remember is stepping into a truck so we could head home._

She rested the pencil against her cheek and stared at the words she had just written. The fact that her Master had been assigned to a different project wasn't all that unusual. It had happened several times before, when she would have been in the way or when it was necessary for her to remain behind as added reinforcement during holidays and such.

What was odd was that Sir Integra had assigned her mission leader. She had a difficult time commanding respect from the human soldiers. Training with them had almost always resulted in a disparaging remark that required her to show a fraction of her true strength and speed in order for the comment to be taken back. In missions it was easiest for everyone involved if she remained a soldier.

This time, however, Sir Integra said that it was imperative that she lead the operation because of the nature of the enemy. Though when the fact that they were attacking zombies was taken into consideration, it made no sense that her Master had not been with her. It would have been beneficial to have his firepower backing them.

It had been a good thing that she had been leader for that mission after all. The only known way to end a zombie efficiently was by destroying the brain. She was the only soldier specialized in popping off head shots with perfect accuracy. Most of the soldiers employed by the Hellsing organization had been trained to aim for the torso, specifically the chest, which offers a larger target area than the head. That was all well and good when engaged in combat with most creature, but not for zombies.

She ended up screaming at her squad to stop shooting and use their rifles as melee weapons, to conserve ammunition, and consequently killed almost half of the undead horde by herself. If her Master had been with her, the human squad would have been necessary for the sole purpose of taking the researchers into custody. Maybe she would have made it home to London.

Her head fell back against the top of the bench and she sighed. The most disturbing issue she had was that she couldn't remember anything after regrouping and preparing to head back.

Well, she would be home soon enough and get her answers then. There wasn't any use driving herself crazy thinking about it. She was safe, she hadn't killed anyone and she knew how to get home from Waterloo Station. At least she had completed her mission. It didn't hurt to pretend Sir Integra and her Master were looking for her, either.

Nodding to herself, she allowed her eyes to close once again and she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

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The train carrying Seras Victoria pulled into Waterloo Station at seven forty-three, seventeen minutes before sunrise. She exited the train in the same manner as the other passengers and glanced at the sky, concern drawing her brows together in a scowl. It was getting lighter, the clouds beginning to disperse.

She quickened her pace as she cut through a park, doing her best to remain in shady areas. She knew backstreets and alleys that would get her to the Hellsing compound in relative darkness at this time of morning, but she was hesitant to traverse them. The homeless frequented such alleys until more people were out on the streets.

She shook her head. _Oh, get a grip on yourself, _she thought. _They can't hurt you and you certainly _will not_ hurt them either._ As she came to the end of the park, she glanced around, calculating which route would be the fastest. She turned left and began to run. She had to hurry.

She was about three blocks from the turnoff that would take her directly to the front gates of the Hellsing compound. Despite her exhaustion and hunger, she smiled. Almost home! She would be able to eat, bathe, sleep, find out what the hell had happened to her and, most importantly, go to visit her marble friends. They were in need of a good dusting, she was sure of it. Yes, her priorities were skewed, but she couldn't force herself to care, not when she was so close to her target.

Looking back, she realized that it could never have been so simple as waltzing in and doing everything on her list.

No, of course not.

She could see the entrance gates to the large compound ahead of her, several hundred feet away, when she was attacked. He was large, much taller than her and at least twice as heavy. He also had a gun, which he used to pistol whip her across the face. She was taken by surprise and fell to her knees on the sidewalk. The blow had not caused her any actual pain, but tears sprang to her eyes. All she wanted was to go home. The man was saying something to her, but his voice was muddled by the rage that was engulfing her senses.

The mugger – for his goal was to rob her, and perhaps rape her if she didn't put up too much of a struggle – stopped issuing orders to the girl on the sidewalk when he saw that she was unresponsive. She allowed herself to be dragged out of sight into a dead end alley, one side made of the end unit of a row of townhouses, the other side formed by the massive wall blocking off Hellsing. She looked at the wall, dimly registering the fact that this man was an idiot to attack someone so close to the compound. He pulled her to her feet and hit her again. She whipped her head to look at him and bared her fangs, hissing.

"What the hell?" he managed to choke out before she pounced on him, forcing him to fall to the ground. She kept him pinned down, staring at his throat. "I'm sorry, lady, please let me go. I'll never –" The rest of his words died as she moved her gaze to his face. Her crimson eyes blazed with a fury and hunger she had never known. Her humanity was being drowned out by the instincts of the killer.

"Save your apologies," she rasped and attached her mouth to his neck. Her teeth and lips and tongue found his jugular vein with ease and for several long moments she was lost in the thrill of feeding. The man's screams were muted and short-lived.

She managed to stop herself just before his heart stopped and looked down at her shirt, her hands, her victim. There was not much blood. Her vision swam as she blinked to keep the tears at bay. Now was not the time for crying. She had to do something about the body. She looked at the wall to her right and bit her lip. She was much stronger now, and he was drained of blood. It shouldn't be too difficult. She hoisted the body over her shoulder and threw it toward the top of the wall with all her might. The corpse landed atop the barbed wire, blue jeans caught in the snarls. After several seconds the denim ripped and it fell to the other side of the wall.

She took the pistol and tucked it into her back pocket and continued to the entry gates of the Hellsing compound.

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The instant the soldiers saw the girl with orange hair and glowing eyes headed their way, one of them called to the main headquarters and asked to speak to Sir Integra directly. He reported that her missing vampire had just shown up and was making her way to the building.

They opened the gates before said vampire reached them and she passed through without a word or a glance at them. Under normal circumstances these two particular soldiers would have started teasing her as soon as she was within earshot.

These were anything but normal circumstances. Her clothing was torn, her hair and skin were smudged with dirt and what looked like blood and her eyes were blazing. Her fangs were still out. No, they decided, now would not be the best time to make fun of her.

She stormed through the grand foyer and headed for the staircase that led to Sir Integra's office. Her Master's master sat behind her large desk, hands clasped before her atop a stack of papers. Neither woman smiled at the other, but the vampire did sit when Sir Integra gestured to one of the chairs before her desk.

The fury Seras Victoria had been harboring had died out before she had gotten to the office door. Now she felt terrified and depressed. It was an effort to keep from crying, one that caused noticeable trembling.

"You are back sooner than expected and look worse for the ware," Sir Integra said in a quiet tone. It was obvious that something had happened to the little draculina she had grown fond of, but it was not in her nature to act overly concerned.

Crimson eyes narrowed and the vampire's voice came out in a growl, surprising her superior. "What do you mean by 'sooner than expected'? Was I purposefully abandoned in the middle of fucking nowhere without money, a phone or even an identification card? This was planned? _Why _?" The fury had returned and it was an effort for the normally demure girl to remain in her seat.

She glared at the blond woman, noting the clench of jaw and the narrowing of icy blue eyes. "You were abandoned?" Sir Integra demanded sharply as she removed her glasses and placed them at her elbow, taking up a pen. She placed a blank piece of paper before her. "Please elaborate. I need to know exactly what took place during the raid, and after."

"Are you implying that you have no idea that something happened to me? No one tried to find me?" Seras shook her head. "I don't believe it."

"I don't lie."

She rubbed her eyes, exhausted from this exchange already. "It is a long tale. Before I begin could you please close the blinds and drapes? The sun is getting brighter and I have not had sleep in several days."

"Of course." Sir Integra ensured no daylight could enter the room and set her lamplight to dim. When she had returned to her desk and picked up the pen, the vampire began her tale. She hesitated near the end, debating on if she should mention the body or not, then realized that she must since she had dumped it by the wall.

Her voice began to break as she related the events leading up to the killing of her first victim. By the time she managed to tell her superior where the body was located she was close to being hysterical.

Sir Integra was livid, but concealed her feelings for the time being. It would not be wise to let on that she had an idea as to how the circumstances of her disappearance had been orchestrated. "Miss Victoria, please believe me when I say that this matter will be looked into until the reason it has been allowed to happen is revealed. I cannot imagine what you must be going through. Ordinarily I would congratulate you on your first kill, but I suppose you must console yourself with the knowledge that he attacked you, and probably would have ended up killing you if he had been able." She paused, allowing a small smile to play on her lips. "In the meantime, I suggest you take a long bath, eat if you need to and sleep. I will make sure that Walter sees to your every need. Take a few days off from duty until you are well rested."

She knew that she was being dismissed, but she had one last question. "Sir, I know it isn't my place to ask, but where was my Master throughout all of this? I don't understand why he didn't sense my distress."

"He was assigned a project in Peru and requested several days' leave of absence. Go rest. No more questions. When I find out more I will summon you."

She closed the door behind her and frowned. Sir Integra knew something. For some reason it had been assumed that her absence was to be expected. Her superior had been tipped off.


	3. Chapter 3

Her head was full of thoughts as she worked her way to the bowels of the building. She collided with Walter as he was leaving her room. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed and helped the aging retainer to his feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Miss Victoria. You, however, look as though you have had an interesting adventure," he replied. "Would you like me to prepare a bath for you? There is a bowl and a bag of blood on your table if you are hungry."

"Thank you, a bath would be lovely, but could it wait until tonight? I haven't slept well recently. I also haven't looked into a mirror for a few days, so I'm sure I look dreadful." She paused, biting her lip. "Um...I want to ask you a question, but –"

"Sir Integra has informed me of the situation." Walter gave her a brief, sympathetic smile. "I will answer any of your inquiries to the best of my knowledge, regardless of the circumstances. Any time, not just now."

She smiled back at him, the first time since she had awakened in a strange place. "How long was I gone after everyone else returned from the raid?"

"It would have been ninety-six hours tonight. If you need anything between now and this evening, please do not hesitate to ask." He stopped at the steps and turned his head to look at her. "I am extremely relieved that you have returned."

"I missed you too," she replied and smiled again. She waited until he had left for the upper level before heading to the secret crypt that held her friends.

The statues had been cleaned while she was gone. She thanked Walter in the silence of her mind and lit the new candles he had left for her. "Oh, my friends, I have done something terrible," she confessed and sat before Aphrodite. "I killed a man today, to feed from him. I was so hungry and I didn't know what to do. I was so close to being home. If he had just let me walk by he would still be alive and I wouldn't have this burden on me. I know that I am a vampire and that I need blood to live, but I can't kill without losing what humanity I have. I'm scared of losing it." She sat in silence for an hour before she summoned the strength to teleport to her room, stumble to her bed and pass out.

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Walter came to fetch her a little after nine-thirty to inform her that the bath was ready. She followed him, struggling to keep a skip out of her step. She had not been so excited about a bath for a while.

She soaked in the tub while the water grew cold, then scrubbed every inch of her skin and hair until she felt clean. She didn't think she would ever tire of bathing. It refreshed her. She wrapped herself in the thick robe that had been left for her and decided to go sit out on her favorite balcony. She found Walter on the second floor and asked him to bring her a glass of blood. He agreed and she continued to the third floor. She passed by Sir Integra's office and was not surprised to see a light on under the door. Her superior was often up until midnight working on assignments.

She was startled to hear raised voices. She did not mean to eavesdrop, but she was compelled to stay when she realized one of the voices belonged to her Master. His tone was too low for her to hear anything he said, but she could sense his agitation. Sir Integra was angry at him.

No, she was furious.

"You know damn well what I meant when I said to take care of the problem! I expressly forbade you from doing anything of this nature. Do you know how lucky you are not to be sitting in the dungeon I saved you from?"

Her Master's response was muffled, but it was apparent he had said something that _his_ master did not approve.

"You have gone too far this time, Alucard, and it cannot be overlooked."

The draculina backed away from the door and continued to her favorite spot. When Sir Integra became upset her anger froze you to the core. It was a rare occasion when she raised her voice. What could her Master have done to infuriate her?

She was mulling over this question when Walter brought her blood and a glass of cordial. She looked at him in surprise as he took the seat next to her. He raised his glass and toasted with her. "To nightcaps," he said and she laughed. "How are you faring, Miss Victoria? You look much better."

"I feel better," she admitted. "Thank you for your help. There is something that is bothering me, though." She glanced at the retainer. "On my way out here I happened to overhear Sir Integra yelling at my Master. I was unaware that he was back from his leave." Walter frowned, but refrained from comment. "I'm starting to get the horrible feeling that Master was involved with my disappearance. What do you think?"

"Alucard returned earlier this evening, while you were in the bath. He was sent for directly." Walter looked at the young vampire. "I must make myself very clear, Miss Victoria. I will tell you what I know to be fact, but I can only speculate as to whether or not he was involved in any way. I sincerely hope not, but as you well know, his motives are not always clear."

"I understand," she replied. The sinking feeling in her stomach was becoming uncomfortable. She forced herself to sit still.

"Alucard's mission in Peru was successful and he returned a few hours earlier than expected, before you left on your own mission. Sir Integra asked if he wanted to accompany you on the raid, but he declined. He said that there were things he needed to arrange because he was going to be taking several days of leave. The only reason I know of this is because I happened to be in the room when he was telling her. He did not say when he would be returning, but he left an hour before you set out on your mission and he has come back within hours of your arrival." Walter fell silent and took a sip of his cordial.

"Thank you for telling me what you know, but now I have even more questions than when I started thinking."

"If I may offer you my opinion?"

"Of course."

"I have known Alucard for many years. His motives and actions often defy our reasoning, but we trust him because he has proven himself to be a character with a strong moral fiber and a startling sense of loyalty. If he was involved, I do not believe that his intention was to hurt you. In his eyes, he probably thinks of it as helping you to realize your full potential."

The companions were silent for several minutes as they finished their drinks. Walter cleared his throat. "I don't know if you would be interested, but I was planning on watching a Swedish film that has come to my attention. It is called _Let The Right One In. _Perhaps we could also play a game of backgammon. It has been a while since I have had the pleasure of beating you."

She was surprised into laughter. "That sounds great."

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She enjoyed the movie more than she had thought she would, but it was over sooner than she had hoped and she was once again left alone with her questions. There was nothing for her to do on the upper levels once the humans were asleep so she headed for her room.

It was becoming more and more likely that her Master had been involved with her abandonment. Understanding why was the problem and it was a distinct possibility that talking to him would not alleviate her confusion, but exacerbate it.

She opened the door to her room and stepped inside. Her chamber shared a wall with her Master's and she stared at it for several moments before walking over and leaning against it. She closed her eyes, trying to sense even the slightest glimmer of essence from him. She detected nothing.

He was blocking his connection to her.

For some reason this hurt her feelings. A lot. It also made her angry.

Murderous rage angry.

She glared around the room, looking for something she could beat up. There wasn't anything that she was willing to sacrifice, so she dressed in a tank top and shorts and teleported to the training room that was frequented by humans during the day and by her at night. She had a room all to herself with weapons and training tools that could not be used unless one had supernatural strength. She honed in on the person-shaped punching bag.

When she was a new vampire her Master had insisted that she learn where vital organs, veins and arteries were in the human body. He also insisted that she use it for target practice. Head shots, specifically.

She had no idea what her dummy was made of, but she had been made well aware that she was not strong enough to destroy it. Her Master could, but he was several thousand years older than her.

She pretended it was a boy from her grade school years, a boy that had tormented her relentlessly for almost three semesters until she decided to teach him a lesson. Taking a page from _Ender's Game_, she had bloodied him up badly enough that he was out of school for three weeks, though she had refrained from killing him. The brilliant thing about it was that he couldn't even prove that it had been her. No one believed him because she had been tiny compared to him.

When she got bored with fighting him she pictured her Master instead. In her mind's eye she had him pinned down to a table with silver chains. In reality silver chains would be ineffective, but this was her dream and she loved the shine of silver. She straddled the dummy and pounded at its head.

She realized that somehow she had managed to crush the head flat. The human's blood had made her stronger. Just the thought made her want to cry.

What was the matter with her?

Maybe she was finally going insane. She had a temper, it was true, and she had flown into a violent rage several times, but never like this. Where was all this anger coming from? Perhaps her mind couldn't handle the stress of having taken unwilling blood. She had only ever had donated blood.

Her eyes widened.

_The blood_.

That was the answer. The man she had fed on had been charged with theft, rape and aggravated assault on several occasions. His memories had been revealed when she ingested his blood. He had been a reckless man with a violent temper and those attributes had been passed on to her.

_Bloody hell, _she thought.

She managed a wry grin at the accidental pun.

The good news was that the immediate side effects would fade by the next morning. The bad news was that some of his attributes would remain a part of her for the rest of her undead life.

Although, come to think of it, maybe that wasn't such bad news after all. Sometimes it was necessary to be reckless and excessively violent.

This also meant that she was a true vampire now, a status she had hoped not to gain. She had taken her first human life, the only step that had kept her a fledgling.

She frowned. Perhaps that was why she could no longer feel her Master. Technically she had freed herself of him when she drank his blood from the floor after Incognito had, for all intents and purposes, destroyed him. The link had remained and he was still able to boss her around because, as her Master explained it, she wasn't really free if he didn't offer his blood to her willingly. She was not sure that was true, but she had no other vampire to ask.

It was the only explanation she had. It made sense. She had taken the final plunge.

_I would not be so sure of that, Police Girl._

Her Master's voice in her head was akin to being hit with a Taser. She was frozen for a moment before she was able to respond.

_Where in the seven hells have you been? Do you have any idea what I have been through? What the fu–_

_Enough. My Master requires your presence in her office. Come now._

She picked herself up off the floor and rubbed her face before glancing at the clock. Three in the morning.

On the dot.

There was no chance that Sir Integra was in a good mood.

_Just a note: _Let The Right One In_ does exist and if you like realistic vampire movies, it is definitely worth checking out._


	4. Chapter 4

Sir Integra raised a brow as the young vampire entered her office looking disheveled and out of sorts. "Forgive my appearance, Sir. I was training."

"It is quite all right. Please have a seat. It is late and I wish to get to bed as quickly as possible." She waited as Seras perched on the edge of the chair. "Now, before I explain what this is about, I want it made absolutely clear that you will have to sort some of this out on your own and that it cannot have any negative effects on your work. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir. Have you found out what happened to me?"

"Unfortunately." Blue eyes stared into crimson pools. "Alucard was the cause of your abduction and abandonment. Originally he told me that he needed time off to work with you for off-site survival training and that you would be gone for about a week. He also said that you had been made aware of his plans for you." She paused, holding up a hand to keep the vampire from speaking. "Seras, do not think that he will go unpunished for his crimes against you. I understand that he is your Master, but I am _his_ master and he expressly disobeyed orders I had given him. He will be dealt with. After that he will be at your disposal for questioning, but you are not to mortally harm him. Do you understand?"

Her head was spinning with the information she was attempting to absorb. She tried to reply, but her voice failed her. She cleared her throat and managed to whisper, "I understand." She stood and her legs shook to the point that she had to lean on her chair. "Sir, what orders did he disobey, exactly?" When it appeared as though her superior would not respond, she fell to her knees. "Please. I need to know."

Sir Integra took a deep breath. She was displeased at being asked that particular question, but the girl deserved to know the truth. She walked around her desk and helped her to stand. "I forbade him to allow you to starve to the point that you would kill a human, or to command you to kill against your will."

"Where is he now?"

"Unavailable. Miss Victoria, his punishment is being executed swiftly and brutally. He will be presented to you by tomorrow night. I suggest you allow yourself time to come to terms with everything you have and will go through."

The vampire barely heard her words. She shook her head and wrapped her arms across her chest. "How could this be?"

"He believes that what he did was right. Perhaps once he sees the extensive damage he has caused he will think differently. Get some rest. You are going to need all of your strength for tomorrow."

"What are you doing to him?"

"You don't even want to think about it."

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Her mind was exhausted, but refused to rest. She could not stop thinking about the (mostly one-sided) conversation she had just endured.

She wanted to kill him.

No, that was the blood again.

She loved her Master. Helplessly devoted. No matter what he did to her she doubted that would ever change.

But it hurt so much.

More than dying.

More than living.

Her pillow effectively muffled her sobs. Even though she didn't need her heart anymore it felt as though it were breaking and it was agony. She had not known she could feel like this.

On the bright side, at least she hadn't lost her humanity after all.

Right.

_Think happy thoughts. They'll make you fly_, she thought and began to laugh. She laughed until she passed out. Her sleep was black and deep and all-consuming. She would have thought it was wonderful if she were aware.

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"Do you know how I came to be Alucard's Master?" Sir Integra asked as she led Seras to a part of the compound she had never been before. She could tell that this was a location that had been chosen because access was impossible without a guide. No one would ever find their way here accidentally unless they wandered around for a few weeks undetected.

"No. Master has not told me much about himself."

"He swore loyalty to my family after being defeated by Abraham Van Hellsing over one hundred years ago."

The young vampire stared at her, but refrained from comment. She had guessed ages ago that her Master was the ultimate vampire, but had never ventured to ask him directly because for the longest time she had difficulty believing that he wasn't just a character from a myth. Now her suspicions were confirmed.

Sir Integra continued her story as they walked. "He was employed as a weapon, but after World War II he was deemed too dangerous to continue to be used as such and my father locked him away. I don't believe my father had ever intended that he be set free, but when he died my uncle tried to kill me so that he could inherit the family legacy and the organization. My blood set Alucard free and he swore to protect me. We have worked together ever since."

"How old were you?"

"Twelve, maybe thirteen. My age doesn't matter. The lesson you are to take away is that he is mine to control. I have never exercised my power over him unless it has proven to be absolutely necessary; normally my spoken word is enough to keep him in line. I am employing this power now. He cannot escape the chains that bind him, and if he does the wards on the door will prevent him leaving. I do not want you to believe that you will be able to help him get out of that room without my permission because you can't.

"This is part of his punishment. He hates being trapped. I also did it because I don't want him to be able to leave you with unanswered questions. You deserve to know the reasoning behind his actions. If you harm him, though, your fate will be no more pleasant." She stopped in front of a door. A rather large symbol made up of many components was painted on it. The guard outside the door saluted Sir Integra and stepped aside as she placed a brass key into the lock. "When you are finished with him, knock on the door. I will return to let you out." She opened the door and the draculina entered the cellar room.


	5. Chapter 5

Her eyes adjusted almost immediately to the darkness. A lone candle was lit across the room, but it was there more as a courtesy than a necessity. Her Master was chained to one of the walls. He looked terrible. She had not seen him look so fatally wounded since his fight with Incognito.

At least he was in one piece.

She stood before him. From the way the chains held him, he looked as though he had been crucified. Her fingers lifted to brush the hair from his eyes, but she pulled back at the last second. "Master," she whispered.

He lifted his head and she stifled a gasp. His face was unrecognizable, save for his maniacal grin. "Police Girl," he replied, voice rough and low.

"What has she done to you?"

"Nothing less than I deserve, or so she says. You are here to ask me questions."

"Yes." To the point. She shouldn't have expected anything else. A chair was placed several feet away and she sat on it. Unexpected tears formed as she stared at her Master. "Why?"

He laughed, a harsh and bitter sound. "That is your first question. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." He laughed again. "I felt that it was high time you learned to be a true vampire."

"That was not your decision to make."

"Was it not? I am your Master. I could have ordered you to kill and you would have had no choice. In this case, you had a choice. You didn't have to kill that man."

Her chest constricted, though she couldn't have said why. There was no breath in her. "How?"

He studied his progeny in the dim lighting and frowned, puzzled. "You are keeping your questions basic." She offered no reply so he answered. "Hypnosis. Similar to when I forced you into the crypt. I kept you in that state for two days before releasing you near Stonehenge."

She glared at him. "Do you have any idea what kind of hell I went through? How close I came to murdering innocent kids? All because you thought it would be fun if you forced me to become a true vampire instead of a bothersome fledgling, is that it? If you wanted to get rid of me all you had to do was say so!" She was trembling at the effort of remaining seated. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to make him hurt as badly as he was hurting her, but she knew that no physical pain could amount to her emotional pain. "I would have left," she whispered. His excellent hearing picked up every word, though he wished it didn't. "I thought you were happy with me. After everything we've been through I was sure that we had reached some sort of...something."

"You are an idiot, did you know that?" His tone was glib and it made her feel more depressed. "I didn't want you to leave. I wanted you to realize your full potential. Don't you feel the difference in your strength and stamina? Your mental and physical capabilities have grown a hundred fold. I wanted you to finally learn that you can be a true vampire without sacrificing those human emotions you care about so much." He scoffed. "How you came to that conclusion, I will never understand."

She stood, then, and attacked him. He was chained and could do nothing to defend himself, but he wasn't at all sure he would have tried if he could have. "You don't know how it _feels_!" she screamed at him. She began to sob, the force of them making her shudder. "I love you more than anyone or anything I have ever loved in my entire life and it isn't just because you are my Master! There are countless reasons. Hell, even now I love you." Her crying overwhelmed her and she could do nothing but lean against his chest, exhausted by her outbursts, physical and emotional.

When she could speak again her voice was dull. "You have betrayed me and I have never known something so painful in my entire life, new or old." Her words were muffled by his shirt and she brought her head away to look up at him. He did not reply, but she hadn't expected him to. A fresh wave of pain overcame her. "Please. Say something."

"If you feel the need to strike me with revenge, I am standing right here. I deserve whatever you do to me," he said after a long moment. She laughed, a crushing sound that made him suffer, no matter how loath he was to admit it.

"Very well," she replied. He closed his eyes, awaiting her blows. Her lips met his and the surprise was great enough that he found his body responding before his mind had finished comprehending what was happening. A primal urge rushed through the vampires as their kiss continued and deepened. Their minds were locked together, thoughts wrapping around one another in a way their bodies could not.

With great difficulty she pulled her mouth away from his, eyes wide at the feel of his essence connected to hers after so long. It had never been this way before. "Alucard," she whispered his name for the first time. It rolled off her tongue like the most intimate of caresses and she felt him shudder from the impact. Her fangs extended and she kissed him again, biting his lip. "Free me."

"What?" The fog clouding his mind cleared instantly with her request.

"You want me to strike you with revenge? Then free me from you. You yourself said that I will never be a true vampire until I drink blood you give me willingly. Isn't that what this whole thing was for anyway? You made me suffer because you wanted me to realize my full potential. I can't do that without your final approval."

His eyes met hers with uncertainty. Everything she said was true, but she was the only progeny he had made in almost two hundred years. There had been others, long ago, but most had not survived more than a few decades. The rest had lasted several centuries, but they had been killed or committed suicide and he had given up the practice.

The girl before him was the most promising he had ever made.

Did he really want to lose her?

No. He didn't.

He had not meant for her to suffer as much as she had. That was unforgivable on his part, but he was selfish enough to keep her from getting her revenge.

"Master." Her voice brought his attention back to the situation at hand. "Free me." How had the lyrics to that song gone? Oh, yes.

_Tempt me again and I will forget the truth._

She was becoming angry again and she struck him. The force of her blow whipped his head around so hard that the other side of his face hit the wall behind him. His neck broke.

"No," he managed to rasp.

She stifled a sob and ran to the door, pounding on it until Sir Integra returned with the key. She strode down the hall, determined not to run to her room.

"Seras," her superior yelled after her. She paused, but did not turn around.

"He can rot in there for all I care." She continued to her room.

axsxaxsxaxsxa

She returned from training and enjoyed her shower for almost forty-five minutes. When she emerged from the stall she wiped steam from the mirror and gave her reflection a grim smile.

Walter had shown no mercy on her this time around. Her outing the evening before had been a disaster. She couldn't concentrate and nearly shot one of their snipers instead of the ghoul they were hunting. Sir Integra had a long discussion with the retainer and it was decided that he would get her back on track.

He had restored her focus and pushed her so hard that her muscles were actually sore. She had not felt so out of shape since right after she had been turned. It was good for her. It kept her mind off of things, namely her Master.

Damn it.

Now he was in her brain again.

Her imagination was not her friend anymore.

He had betrayed her and hurt her and yet her mind liked to replay their kiss over and over and over and over and...

"Stop it!" she screamed at her reflection and smashed her hand into the mirror. "Blast." She grimaced, still annoyed, and cleaned up the broken glass. Her hand was bleeding, but it was already beginning to heal.

She left the bathroom and went to her room, locking the door behind her. It had been almost a week since she had seen her Master in that dungeon. Despite all that they had been through, she missed him.

And she was secretly kind of glad that he had refused her request to be freed.

Not that she would EVER admit that to him.

If she saw him again.

She tried not to think about it. She dressed in a pair of drawstring pants and a sport bra, stretching before looking for the new book Walter had bought for her. She went over to her table and picked up the packet of blood he had left for her, ripping it open absentmindedly as she tried to find her place.

A card was tucked between the pages where her kitten bookmark had previously been. She opened her book and placed it print-side down on the table before opening the card. As she read the note, blood dripped onto the floor from the bag she had forgotten she was holding. "Shit," she hissed and placed the bag with the remaining contents in the bowl on the table. She paused for half a second as she looked at the blood pooled on the floor before her fangs extended. She knelt down and lapped it up like a cat in front of a saucer of cream, studiously ignoring the fact that she was behaving like an animal and not a person.

When she was finished she reached up to grab the bowl and gulped the rest of the blood down. Sated, she returned her attention to the note. She recognized the lazy scrawl.

_Neither of us could foresee such an outcome to this unnecessary ending._

_I wish I could erase all my steps and erase all my mistakes_

_with you._

_Tempt me again and I can forget it's true._

_Backing your decision was something I neglected to do even for you._

_I wanted to say you shouldn't suffer this way._

_I wanted to say I hope I can take it away_

She reread it twice more before setting it back on the table. She had no idea what to make of it. She had not expected anything from him after he had refused her.

She bit her lip and picked the note up once again, then crumpled it into a ball and threw it over her shoulder. It did not land on the ground, but a small part of her hadn't really expected it to.

_Note: the song lyric and the note are both taken from the song Smashing the Opponent by Infected Mushroom feat. Jonathan Davis_


	6. Chapter 6

She twisted her neck to see her Master tossing the wad of paper from one hand to the other.

"It hurts my feelings that you think so little of my note," he said in a mocking tone.

She glared at him before looking away. "As if you have any. What do you want from me?"

"Is that any way to speak to your Master?"

"If I had my way we would never speak again."

"Seras Victoria, you need to look at me." Her mouth clamped shut on the retort struggling to escape her mouth as she did as he commanded her. "There are things that we need to discuss, you and I."

She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. "You made everything quite clear the last time we talked."

He flashed his crazy grin at her, sharp fangs bared. "Ah, Police Girl, I never quite manage to make anything clear to you, and you know it to be true." He paused, thinking. "Perhaps there have been one or two exceptions." He gestured to her bed. "Sit. You will not leave this room until I get out what I have to say."

"No. I don't want to listen." She tried to storm past him, but he was much stronger and faster than her. He had her pinned down on the bed and there was nothing she could do to free herself. That knowledge did not keep her from trying to dislodge him.

"Now you have no choice." He looked down at her and tilted his head forward so that she could see his eyes and not just his ever-present glasses. "This may take a while, so I suggest you try to make yourself as comfortable as this position allows. I am not in the habit of explaining myself."

She groaned and tried to hit him, but his arms pinned her wrists to the mattress below her. This was the worst position she could think to be in at the moment. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You irritate me. You are like an itch that refuses to be scratched. You plague me at times when it is completely inappropriate. I can't get enough of you." He stared down at her as she frowned in puzzlement.

"If you find me so annoying, then just let me go."

"That's the problem right there." He cleared his throat. "I _like_ the fact that you annoy me. You are one of the only people that are able to hold my attention anymore. I have been alive for so long that things get boring." He paused, trying to put his thoughts into comprehensive sentences. "My wanting you to become a true vampire is for purely selfish reasons. I have scoured the earth looking for my match, but potential equals, time after time, have ended up being enemies and I have so far defeated all that I come across.

"Sir Integra is my Master, but she is not my equal. She will always be a human and despite my offers to turn her I would not want her to be any other way. Even if she were a vampire she would not be my equal. I have much respect and admiration for her, but..." He stopped again, leaning closer to his captive's face. "You are the one that gives me a reason to continue this existence. It has been so very long, this life, and you keep it interesting. You are the most worthy progeny I have ever created." He struggled to get his next words out, words he had not said since he was a human. "I love you."

Her eyes narrowed. "Wait...what?"

"Do not make me repeat myself."

"Are you being serious, or is this just some terrible mind game you're playing?" She did not dare believe that he was being truthful and straightforward for the first time ever.

"You really are an idiot."

She knew he was telling the truth – not about her being an idiot, the other stuff – but she couldn't tell what she was supposed to do with the information he was giving her. "What does this mean?"

"It means that if you still wish it, I will free you and you will be true."

"Will we lose our mental link?"

He cocked his head to the side, seemingly amused that her first concern was their link. "You will have the ability to sever it at any time that you wish. Once it is severed, it can never be restored."

"I see." She bit her lip. "What will happen to me?"

"Your physical and telepathic abilities have already increased because of the blood you took from that human. If you drink from me you will become even stronger." He hesitated, wondering if he should tell her the whole truth. "You will no longer have to submit to me. I will not have any involuntary control over you. And your appearance will change somewhat."

She touched her tongue to her lip, thinking. "Will I be as strong as you?"

"No. There are three factors that dictate how large your potential strength will be. First, your Maker. Since I am your Maker, you already possess more raw talent and power than most new vampires will acquire in their lifetimes. Second, every year that you pass as a vampire will make you more immune to sunlight, silver and fire and the less blood you will have to ingest to survive. To be honest, I have no need to feed on blood except once every several years, but I do so enjoy the taste. Third, the more beings you feed from, the more talents you will store up and the stronger you will become."

She nodded as she absorbed the information, the fact that she had been furious with him a moment ago completely forgotten. "How will I change, physically?"

"Your fangs will no longer retract. Your hair and nails may grow longer and your skin will become paler. Your eye color will darken and your body may become more voluptuous, but the last one doesn't happen to vampires often."

"Will my hair grow back if I cut it?" She didn't enjoy messing with long tresses.

"Eventually. Much quicker than a human, at any rate. Perhaps several months. Your nails will not grow much longer, but they will taper into claws. You can file them down, but they will grow back in a matter of hours."

"Do I have to continue to feed on humans?"

Her Master smiled down at her. "It can only benefit you. Drinking straight from the source is the way the oldest and purest of us have done it for centuries. The vampires that feed directly on humans properly are guaranteed to survive longer than the vampires that rely on donated blood." He gave her the insane grin she was used to seeing. It made her squirm. "If you free yourself of me, I am going to insist that you feed on humans. You will also require training so that you refrain from squandering your talents."

"I don't think I can kill another human," she whispered, shaking her head back and forth. "Please don't make me do it. I couldn't stand the guilt."

He stared at her in surprise. "You're going to remain one of those sentimental vampires, aren't you?" He snorted in amusement. "You can always do what Helena used to do."

At the mention of her confidante's name, she gave her Master undivided attention. "What are you talking about?"

"If only she were here to give you The Talk." Alucard shook his head. "She, along with other vampires I have come across throughout the ages, insisted on feeding from humans that had committed heinous crimes only. It is easy enough to slip into a maximum security prison and make death look like a suicide. It is not uncommon for criminals to do such a thing."

She weighed this option in her mind. She was a pure vampire, created in the tradition of the oldest vampires, and if she chose to become a true vampire as well there were certain things that she would have to get used to. The taste of fresh blood had been like nothing she had ever consumed. If she went after criminals that were sentenced to die anyway, then she could at least save the tax payers some time and money.

"Very well," she said after she was convinced that she would be able to fulfill that condition. Her eyes bore into her Master's. "There is one more question I need answered."

Her Master rolled his eyes, but she knew that he was pleased as punch at her acceptance of his offer. "What could you possibly need to know now? Haven't I told you enough?"

"Are you going to leave me once my transformation is complete and you are satisfied with my training?"

"No. I mean to make you my bride." His tone was so bland that one could have thought he was commenting on the weather.


	7. Chapter 7

She sat alone, her mind struggling to comprehend what her Master had told her only hours ago. He had not seemed to believe it necessary to elaborate on the process of vampire marriage.

For some reason she was pretty sure that it wasn't going to be like a human wedding.

He did tell her that he expected her to be dressed nicely. "You don't have to go out and by a wedding gown," he had said, "but I do expect you to dress like you were going somewhere fancy." She had rolled her eyes and pushed him out the door so that she could have some peace and quiet.

She just didn't understand why he would want to spend eternity with _her_.

Not that she was complaining.

Not one bit.

A grin stretched her lips without permission. The urge to confide in someone was overwhelming, but she had promised not to say anything. He had decided that speaking to Sir Integra was vital before she became a true vampire, and his bride. The thought was enough to erase the smile from her face.

She had assumed, and been correct, that Sir Integra did not harbor any romantic feelings for her Master, so she wasn't worried about competition. She was afraid that Sir Integra would think it inappropriate for them to be involved with one another as anything more than Master/fledgling.

Her Master's master would never object to the draculina becoming true, but her superior could command her Master not to make her his bride and he would be bound not to do it. Or (possibly) worse, her Master would forsake his master, rescind his loyalty, and they would become rogue vampires. The organization would never allow them to continue their existence under those conditions. Her Master was simply too powerful to be left to his own devices, or so it was thought by the humans that mattered.

Why did her brain make everything so complicated?

She screamed into her pillow to lessen the frustration she was feeling. What she needed to do was pick out a nice dress and prepare herself mentally for the changes that would be coming.

Even if it didn't happen, she had at least earned a new dress and there was nothing wrong with an exercise in being prepared.

Think positive. That was the key.

She nodded to herself and left her room to find Walter. She would need funds for future purchases.

Sxaxsxaxsxaxsxaxs

A fist pounded on the door so hard that it trembled violently, threatening to give up its position on the wall. "Are you ready yet?" Her Master was impatient.

She smirked as she finished lacing the bodice of her gown. "Not quite yet. What's the rush? We have the rest of forever, right?" she called. She spared a glance at the mirror hanging in her wardrobe.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

The velvet choker with the single black amethyst she had found to replace her collar looked awesome, if she did say so herself. Finding matching earrings had been a bonus as well.

"Now is not the time to be flip with me," he growled in reply. "I will rip this door off its hinges if I have to. We do not have much time. The lunar eclipse is tonight and we must be in Cheddar before it is completed."

"Cheddar? Why?"

"The church."

She frowned as she opened the door to her room. She could not remember the events that had led her to Cheddar in the first place. She vaguely remembered a church, and a priest, but not much else. It was a natural result of being turned. Most vampires forgot everything about their former lives within a year or so of being turned. If a memory was particularly strong, they may remember it for almost a decade, but not much longer than that.

Even though she was stubborn and had tried to horde her memories, she was no exception. Other than a few lingering thoughts, she had no recollection of her human life. She had written most of her memories in a journal when she had been informed that it would happen, probably sooner than later.

She shook her head. Now was not the time to go rifling through the pages to figure out what was so important about some church in Cheddar and yet...

"Master, what happened in the church? I can't –" She stopped abruptly as the memory flooded through her brain. She had been shot in the chest by her Master. He had sacrificed her life to kill the vampire priest. Then he had given her the choice and she had accepted willingly. She had never gone back to that place. "Why there?"

She finally looked up at her Master to realize that his jaw was hanging open, something that did not happen.

Ever.

She cleared her throat, feeling nervous, and touched her hand to her choker, fingering the jewel. "Are you all right, Master?"

He blinked once and closed his mouth. "You look better than I expected."

She bristled and was unable to keep from baring her fangs. "What, exactly, were you expecting?"

"Something more modern."

"I...see." She glanced down at the dress she had bought from a Renaissance shop. The style was flattering on her, even though she felt the top was cut a bit too low and lacing it up had been a pain. What she loved the most were the dagged sleeves that nearly touched the ground when her arms were by her side. The coloring was a dark burgundy, almost black. It was the most expensive piece of clothing she had ever purchased. "I have a buckled mini dress I could wear instead, if you would prefer that."

Her Master shook his head and offered her his arm. "We need to go if you are to be transformed tonight."

She accepted his arm and used her free hand to hold her skirt up as she walked. "You never answered why we're going to the church."

"It used to be tradition that a master would free a fledgling in the same place that the turning had occurred, although it is not in practice nowadays." Her Master muttered something about willful youths and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"Does the lunar eclipse have any special meaning?"

"No, it is a coincidence. It used to be thought that eclipses offered extra strength and wisdom." He glanced at her, flashed his insane grin. "A load of shit, to be certain, but why waste it?"

Once they were outside he gathered his fledgling in his arms and teleported them to the abandoned village of Cheddar. She looked across the graveyard to the church. It was in shambles. She was surprised that it had not collapsed. "This is where I was turned." She had not meant to spoken aloud. Unexpected tears welled in her eyes. "The place where everything changed."

Her Master, showing unusual affection, took her hand and led her through the tombstones and through the gaping maw that was once a doorway leading into the sanctuary. A large bullet casing, among glass shards and other debris, glinted in the moonlight. She strode toward the altar and bent to retrieve it.

"This is the shell that housed my death."

"Yes."

"We have come a long way since that night."

"Yes."

She locked her eyes on him, crimson eyes meeting reflective glasses. "I'm ready."


	8. Chapter 8

Her Master took her by the shoulders and turned her until her back was to what remained of the large stained glass window. The last time he had seen it had been when he had knelt before it and turned the Police Girl. He glanced up at it for a second before focusing on his fledgling. "Stand here. Do not speak unless I require a response from you. When you drink from me, you must not stop until I tell you to, no matter how your body or mind react from the blood. Once the rite of passage begins we must maintain eye contact. Do you understand everything I have said to you?"

"Yes, Master." She bit her lip to keep from giggling. She couldn't tell if it was from her nervousness or from how serious he was being. She straightened her spine and held her head up. He removed his glasses, folded and placed them in his pocket. His eyes seemed to glow. She was helpless to look away. Tonight would be yet another night that her life would change. The brevity of the situation sobered her.

"Seras Victoria, the beginning of your new life was not easy for you. It is not an easy adjustment for most. You overcame your difficulties in ways that make me proud to name you as my fledgling. In no small way have you impacted the lives of everyone important of the Hellsing Organization and our enemies."

Her Master paused, never blinking. "Unwitting and unwilling, you also passed the test that determined your readiness to be a true vampire. You drank the lifeblood of a living human, taken and not offered. In so doing you rid the world of a man of unscrupulous character. How did it make you feel?"

She hesitated. "Exquisite at the time. Once the blood lust was gone, I felt wretched. He did not have to die, but at the same time he had done worse things to other women and gotten away with it. I felt as though I had done something justified. He could never hurt anyone again." Her eyes narrowed at her Master. "I did not appreciate being manipulated into killing someone, but I was thankful that it was not an innocent person I killed."

"Would you kill again if you felt it was right, if your intended victim was like your first?"

This time her answer came easily. "Yes."

"Has your hunger been awakened? Your _true_ hunger."

She knew he meant her desire to feed from the source, not a donated blood bag. Her answer was quiet. "Yes, Master. You have helped it awaken in me. Among other things." It was difficult to maintain eye contact as the admission slipped out.

He nearly smiled at that, but remained focused on the ceremony. "My fledgling has passed the first two rites of passage: the blooding test and the test of morality. The last rite shall commence posthaste." He walked closer, sinking his fangs into his wrist as he approached. "Drink, my child, and realize your full potential. Drink and become true." He brought his arm to her lips and she licked the puncture wounds gently before covering the holes with her mouth. She sucked the blood into her, savoring the taste on her tongue.

Then the joy vanished. In its place came an overwhelming sense of fear, of mortality. Madness and hunger invaded her mind, her body. She tried to pull away, struggled against the bonds trapping her. Her Master had stepped behind her, his free arm pressed against her waist. Her unseeing eyes swept the room. In her mind, the bright little ball of humanity that she had cared for and nurtured was attacked by the darkness. It began to grow dim.

New strength surged through her mind and she combated the hunger, the madness, the fear. She could not allow the last shred of her old self to be devoured by her Master's blood. The violent force of her Master had to be defeated, no matter the cost. A third force joined the mental fray, then; the blood of her first victim, mingled with her own.

All at once she understood what was needed. The forces needed to be controlled. They had to coexist within her. What had been, what was currently, and what could be united as one unique being: her. She focused her strength and melded the opposing forces together into a sphere, mentally kneading and shaping it until all was quiet again. The terrible fear was gone, along with every other emotion raging inside of her until only calm remained. She was whole.

Her Master released his grip on her torso and tapped her on the shoulder. "It is done. You may let go."

She pulled her mouth away from his arm, licking the blood from her lips. Almost instantaneously her eyes darkened to burgundy, her hair a dark wine color. She glanced around at her surroundings. Everything seemed a bit brighter, smells were sharper and sounds clearer. She looked at her hands and her jaw dropped open in surprise. Her skin was so pale it seemed to glow. Every movement was fluid and graceful. She turned her head to look up at her Master. He allowed a small smirk before coming to stand in front of her again.

He cleared his throat, locking his gaze on her once more. "As your Master, I release you from the bonds that hold you to my will. I embrace you as my equal." She smiled as he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her small frame. His lips brushed one cheek, then the other and he stepped away. "The ceremony is complete. You are a true vampire now."

Her lips stretched into a nervous grin. "Well, Master, now what?"

He shook his head, clicking his tongue against his teeth. "Not Master. Alucard."

She swallowed hard past the lump in her throat. "Alucard." She liked the way it felt to say his name. "Have my looks changed other than my skin?"

"Indeed. Perhaps you should look in a mirror." He grabbed a pewter platter from under the desecrated altar and handed it to her. She nearly dropped it when she caught sight of herself. She reached a shaky hand to her lips. They were fuller and looked as though they had been stained with dark cherry juice.

"I feel different," she confessed, "so I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised to look different. It is as though I am experiencing life for the very first time. Being turned made me feel that way, but this is one thousand times more intense."

Her former Master chuckled. "You never run out of ways to amuse me." He pulled on her arm gently and led her outside. The eclipse had peaked and was beginning to wane. The earth was bathed in an eerie red light. "I am glad that you survived the final rite. None of my other fledglings ever did."

"It terrified me," she admitted. "I am glad I didn't fail you." She looked up at the vampire. _Alucard_, her mind scolded, _you must allow yourself to call him by his name_. To her surprise he laughed aloud and it took her a second to realize that she had broadcasted that thought loud enough for him to notice.

"There is one more ritual that I would have us complete tonight if you are willing." She watched, puzzled, as he knelt before her. "Will you be my vampire bride for all eternity?"

Tears threatened to form and she blinked her eyes forcefully. "I would love nothing more than to be by your side for the rest of my undead life," she replied and meant it. He graced her with his familiar, insane grin and stood, clasping her hands in his. "Um, how do vampires marry, anyway?"

"We must drink from one another in unison until all of our blood is mixed. It takes a few moments, but from what I have been told it is extremely pleasurable." He raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. "And erotic."

If she could have blushed, her face would have been flaming. He laughed at her embarrassment. She took a swing at him, but tripped on her dress and landed against his chest. His bared fangs glinted in the moonlight. "The easiest way to perform a marriage is to drink from one another's wrist. However, I would prefer to know where you would like to drink from and where you would like me to drink from. They do not have to be in the same location."

She forced herself to meet his gaze. She gave a mental sigh. What the hell. She might as well get over her inhibitions now. She was going to be with the man for the rest of eternity. She nodded to herself, her mind made up. "I want you to drink from my neck as I drink from yours."

"Interesting proposal," he replied, obviously pleased with her choice. "Which side would you like?" He pushed his hair back from his neck and she put her finger on the right side. Her fingernail left a crescent impression in his skin.

"Right there. Just above your collar bone." The thought ran a shiver down her spine. Her secret attraction to men had always been how their neck curved to meet the collar bone. His was perfect.

She smiled as he bent his head down to hers and claimed her lips in a quick kiss, brushing his hands through her hair to push it out of the way. "Just say the word, love."

"Please, Alucard, bite me." Their fangs sank in almost at the same time. Her gasp of surprise at the sensation was muffled by her teeth making contact with his skin. She began to drink. Their minds linked as their bodies remained connected and she knew the pleasure was shared. If this was how it would be from now on, she could only be grateful that he had allowed her to become independent of him.

Several long moments later, they parted when it felt right to do so. He licked the blood from her lips and she couldn't help but smile again. "My wife."

"My husband." She reveled in saying it.

"The last rite took a bit more blood than I was expecting, and I could only take as much of yours as you could take of mine." His lips brushed her ear. "I have a hunger. What do you say to a hunt?" Her eyes widened when he kissed the skin just below her ear as he waited for an answer.

"I think that would be the perfect start to our honeymoon." A thought jolted her out of her wedded haze of bliss. "That is, if we are even allowed one." She glared at him, running her tongue over fangs that could no longer retract. She would have to remember not to bite her lip anymore. Her tone was accusatory. "You never even bothered to tell me if we had Sir Integra's blessing or not."

He rolled his eyes, pulling his glasses from his pocket. "Of course we do. She is thrilled to death. Seems to think I won't be so bored now. We even have a week off from duty unless something serious comes up." He winked at her. "Entertaining me is your job now."

She groaned. "Can we please go feed now and get on with our honeymoon?" She was startled that the thought of feeding from the source held little concern for her, unlike when she had first turned and struggled to drink donated blood.

He grinned, noting the lack of hesitation as well. She would make a superb true vampire. "As you wish."


End file.
